Commutator



Feb. 6, 1923,

E W KLEIN comm/n05.- FILED FEB-14,1922.

Patented Feb. 6, 1923.

UNITED sTArss PATENT @FFIQE.

COMMUTATOR.

Application filed February 14, 1922.

To all 10 7mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST WILLIAM KLEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Commutators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to a commutator of the type such as is employed with internal combustion engines in controlling and timing ignition of the explosive charge in the engine cylinders and particularly relates to the construction of the rotary contact member in commutators of the character embodying an annular shell fitted with alternate sections of electrical conductive and nonconductive material over which a rotating contact element is passed.

An object of my invention is to provide a commutator with a rotary wiper contact member which is so constructed and arranged that the bearing surfaces will wear evenly and thereby insure proper make and break of the electrical circuit controlled by the commutator and in which the wiper contact member or brush is reversible so that when one portion thereof is excessively worn the brush ma be turned to present another wearing sur ace.

Another object is to provide a wiper contact memberembodying a spring pressed brush in which the spring is so arranged and connected to the brush that it may be readily removed and replaced and when in place the parts maintained in proper position to permit ready assemblage of the commutator.

Another object is to provide a commutator which is not liable to get out of order, which will endure considerable wear and accordingly obviate frequent replacement and repairs, and which can be economically produced.

lVith the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, my invention resides in the parts and in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the commutator with parts broken away.

Serial No. 536,471.

F 2 is a view of the rotary wiper contact member as seen in side elevation.

F 3 is a View of the wiper contact memher as seen in vertical section.

Fig. is a detail in perspective of the brush carrying guide sleeve.

More specifically 6 indicates a rotary timing shaft on which is mounted a removable collar carrying a guide-sleeve S in which a brush or wiper contact member 9 is slidably mounted. The guide-sleeve of rectangular cross section as is the brush and is preferahiy formed of sheet metal as shown in Fig. 4 but may he made of cast metal if desired. The sleeve is here shown as comprising front and rear walls 10 and 11 connected together by side walls 12 and 13 and is open at its ends. The back wall is formed with a slot 14 and a tongue 15 is provided which projects from the lower end of the slot and curvedv to conform to the periphery of the collar, and projecting upwardly from the lower end of the sleeve is a flange 16 the outer end of which is curved to conform to the underside of the collar, In mounting the sleeve on the collar the latter formed with a flat face 17 against which the back wall ofthe sleeve seats to provide a substantial bearing and the tongue and flange are positioned to extend on oppo: 'te sides of the collar and. are engaged there th p. aferably by welding. The coll and guide sleeve may however be form a one piece. The guide sleeve is thus positioned at one side of the collar and is of such length as to project beyond the opposite edges of the face 17 so that the lower end of the gu sleeve will extend below the collar a the upper end of the guide-sleeve will p10- ject thereabove. The flange 16 extends from the lower end of the guide-sleeve upwardly at an angle into contact with the collar and thus forms a space 18 rearward of the flange and formed in the flange is a slot 19 the lower edge of which is spaced from the point of intersection of the flange and sleeve to provide a wall 20.

The wiper contact member is formed with an arcuate recess 21 intermediate its ends on one side thereof and is provided with a slot 22 leading therethrough from the center of the recess.

A curved plate spring 23 is provided the lower end of which is formed with a reverse Ale? curve and is inserted through the slot- 19 into engagement with the wall 20 and the upper end of the spring is formed with a reversed curve or hook 2 which is passed through the slot 1%- in the guidesleeve and engaged in the slot 272 in the brush. The spring tensioncd to exert an upward thrust on the brush to normally maintain the latter in its uppermost position and cause it to hear against an annular flange 25 on a commutator carp fitted with a series of contact plates 26 set in insulating wall 27. The outward noyeioent of the brush under the action of the spring is lir iited hy the upper end of the slot in the guidesleeve engaging the spring which permits the ceuunua cap being); removed without causing); the l h to be ejected from the guidesleeye. ,Jhen the brush is in place in the cap it is retracted sufficiently in the guide-sleeve to dispose the spring out oi contact with the end of the slot.

The ends oi the brush are rounded so as to conform to the c ture of the annular flange and are so formed that the brush may be positioned with either end outermost which permits the brush being reversed when one end becomes excessively worn.

Pry mounting the spring and brush as set forth the brush may be readily removed and replaced as by depressing the brush the hook 2% on the spring 11121 be easily disengaged from the brush and ii it is desired to remove the spring the lower end thereof may be easily withdrawn from the slot 19. Replacement of the spring may also be easily effected and may be accomplished without removing the brush from the guide-sleeve.

A recess 21 in the brush is provided for the purpose of affording a thin wall on the riargin oi"- the slots 22 and also to provide a space in which the outer end of the hook 524-. extends so that the hook will not project beyond the outer face of the brush. The hook is formed with an arcuate upper face in which the edge of the slot seats, which ermits the hook bein readil disencaped v 0 1'2 El'lZOHl the brush.

I claim: I

1. In a commutator, a rotary shaft, a

h lr l" l'dl ginoc sieeie L ercon, a luol wiper s1 an e in said sleeve. and a curved plate spring having one end arranged in hooked engagenient with said brush wiper and its opposite end in hooked engagement relative to the n T am--1- q 1 n fli A1. 111 v. \JQlLLLlL llLLa-EUL cc CO lit 0:1 ulflb sleeve carried on said col ar he mg a back wall formed with slot one end thereof, a brush wiper slidahle in said sleeve formed with slot, and a curved plate spring having one end in hr d ei'igageinent relative to the collar, said 9" rng being formed with a hook on its outer end and engaged with the slot in the brush wiper through the slot in sa d g t le-slee ve and acting to exert outward thi sit on said brush wi' era in a commutator, collar. a guideeleeve carried on said collar having a back wall formed with a .slot adjacent one end thereo'i brush wiper slidahle in said sleeve 'lornied H i .n a slot, and curved plate springhaying; one end in hooked engagement relative LL, the collar. said spring being formed with a hook on its outer end and engaged the slot he brush wiper through the in said 5:;uide-sleeye and acting to exert thrust on 'sai d brush wipeu the an outward. outer end of the slot in said guide-sleeve serving; an abutment to limit outward movement or" the brush wiper under action f the spring.

L in a commutator, a collar a guidesleeve carried on one of said collar formed with a slot adjacent one end thereof, a extending}; from the opposite end of the guide sleeve to he collar ttorined with a slot. a wiper contact nieinher slidable in said sleeve formed with a slot, and a curved plate spring one end of which is engaged in the slot in the flange and the other end of which. extends through the slot in the sleeve and is engaged in the slot in the wiper contact member! 5. In a commutator a brush wiper comprising; a hair formed with a recess on one tl'iereo't and having a slot extending through the bottom wall of said recess for the purposes set forth.

6. in a commutator, a brush wiper comprising a bar formed with a recess on one side thereof and having a slot extending through the bottom wall of said recess and a plate spring hzwinehooked engagement with the niarp in of said slot.

ERNEST l VILLIAM KLEIN. 

